Unlike traditional jumper cables, portable car jump starters come with a built-in battery pack to give your car a boost without connecting to another power source. Even better? Most car jump starters come with a few extra features, including flashlights, cell phone charging ports, and even PSI air compressors for tire inflation. When you purchase a portable car battery jump starter, you’re investing in your safety and comfort while you’re on the road. Keep reading to learn more about the best portable jump starters to keep in your car, including how much they cost, how much power they produce, and where to buy them. Here are ZDNet’s top picks for the best portable jump starter kits. Check out: My 3 must-have car accessories
If you’re shopping for a powerful portable jump starter that’s built to last, make sure that the Clore Automotive Jump-N-Carry JNC660 is on your list. You’ll get 425 cranking amps and 1700 peak amps, which is plenty of power to jump your passenger or light commercial vehicle. The JNC660 comes with an easy-to-read voltmeter, so you can quickly understand how much battery life you have left. The internal battery is removable, so if you start to notice that it isn’t holding a charge as well as it used to, you can order a replacement from the manufacturer. It’s a great perk to help you get more long-term value from your jump starter. On the back of the jump starter, you’ll find a 12-volt DC power outlet to charge your smartphone or other devices. Other than that, the JNC660 doesn’t include as many bonus features as its competitors – but it’s not much of an issue. Simply put, this product is designed for jumping dead car batteries, and it excels in that regard. We’ll cut to the chase here: the NOCO Boost Plus GB40 1000 is a fantastic option if you’re looking for a portable jump starter to use on rare occasions when your battery dies. It’s small enough to hide in your glove box or trunk, but it has enough power for 20 jump starts on one full charge. This particular model can generate 1000 peak amps, but NOCO also sells several other versions with higher outputs. If you’ve never used a portable jump starter before, this device could be a smart choice. That’s because it comes with NOCO’s UltraSafe technology, which will alert you if the clamps aren’t connected correctly. We think it’s a great safety feature – especially for newer drivers or people who aren’t comfortable using traditional jumper cables. You can expect to pay around $100 for the 1000 unit, which works with gasoline and diesel vehicles. In addition to the jump starter capabilities, you’ll also get a portable power bank with a USB charging port and LED flashlight with several different light settings, including an SOS option. Most of the products in this review come in around the $100 mark, but we wanted to include a more affordable option as well. With 800 peak amps, the Tacklife T8 has a smaller output than the other portable jump starters on this list but still has the functionality you need to get your car started. According to Tacklife, the T8 can provide 30 jump starts before it needs a recharge. In between uses, you can manually turn off the device to help it retain a charge for up to 12 months. (To see how much battery is left, check the LCD display on the front of the device.) Be aware that recharging can take up to 4.5 hours. In terms of extras, the T8 has most of the same modern features as its competitors. There’s a flashlight (with emergency signals), two USB charging ports, and a 12-volt DC port, as well as a compass, which is ideal for camping and hiking. Like NOCO, the GOOLOO GP2000 is another compact portable jump starter that’s easy to carry around. It produces 2000 peak amps, which is enough to start a 9-litre gas engine or a 7-litre diesel engine. Plus, when you aren’t using the jumper cables, you can take advantage of the three USB ports to make sure that your devices are always charged. To make it easier to jump-start your car in the dark, the GP2000 includes a built-in flashlight. And if you’re stranded or need urgent help, you can switch the light to SOS or strobe mode. It might seem like a small feature, but it can add extra peace of mind when you’re in an emergency. As you might expect on a jump starter of this size, the cables on the GP2000 are somewhat short, so it’s probably not the best option if you have a bigger car. We think it’s a safe bet for people with average-sized cars who also want to use the device to charge their phones, tablets, or other electronics. If you’re going to use your portable jump starter to charge your smartphone or other devices, you might want to consider the HULKMAN Alpha85. Despite its high power output (2,000 peak amps), Alpha85 only takes 1.5 hours to recharge, which is fast charging compared to many other products we’ve reviewed. This can make a big difference if you’re constantly on the go and need a quick top-up on your phone or car battery. It also has an impressive portable battery life. According to the manufacturer, Alpha85 can perform 60 jump starts on a single charge, supporting gas vehicles up to 8.5 liters and diesel vehicles up to 6 liters. We think this is fantastic value for your money. As an extra bonus, we think that this product is one of the best-designed portable jump starters on this list. It uses an LED light screen that displays battery percentage, device status, charging speed, error alerts, and more – so you can quickly see if your charger is working properly. Every portable jump starter featured here has its own unique set of benefits, but they’re all united by exceptional quality, outstanding customer reviews, and compelling bonus features. That’s in comparison to traditional jumper cables (also known as booster cables), which transfer power from an external source (like another car or battery). Also, some car owners prefer portable jump starters over traditional cables because they’re quick and don’t require you to ask someone else for a jump. Finally, many portable starters come with USB and DC charging ports, so you can ensure that your mobile phone is always charged when you’re on the go.
Make sure that your car and your jump starter are turned off.Open the hood and identify the battery, taking note of the positive and negative terminals.Attach the positive clamp (red) to the positive battery terminal.Attach the negative clamp (black) to a metal surface – typically on your car’s engine or body – so it’s grounded. Lay the jump starter flat and turn it on. Start your car. Turn off the jump starter. Remove the negative clamp, followed by the positive clamp.
Moreover, a portable jump starter allows you to address the situation immediately in lieu of waiting for emergency roadside services. And, paying for jump starter will cost you less long term relative to paying annual premiums for roadside assistance.
